GREATER MANCHESTER MAYOR SURVEY FINDS ALMOST 70% OF SALFORD PEOPLE CANT NAME A SINGLE CANDIDATE

Star date: 20th April 2017

86% OF PEOPLE KNOW THERE'S A GM MAYOR ELECTION BUT FEW CAN NAME ANY CANDIDATES

Today the Salford Star took to Salford Precinct to gauge people's knowledge of the Greater Manchester Mayor Election on May 4th  and found that, while the vast majority knew about the ballot and intended to vote, 69% couldn't name a single candidate, while the other 31% could only name one candidate, Andy Burnham.

It's hard to get away from the fact that there is a Greater Manchester Mayor Election on May 4th. Locally, every household has had a brochure listing virtually all the candidates with their policies, while the other night there was a BBC debate featuring all but one of the candidates.

The parties have also been out canvassing door-to-door, there's been live hustings, with more to come...yet, it appears, not one single candidate has made an impact on the vast majority of people  if the Salford Star's very unscientific sample of Salford Precinct shoppers is anything to go by.

We asked four questions to a random sample of three dozen people on the Precinct this afternoon...

Do you know that there is a Greater Manchester Mayor Election on May 4th?86% said they were aware of the election, with 14% unaware.

Will you be voting in the election?61% said they would be voting and 39% said either 'No' or 'Don't know'.

Can you name any of the candidates standing in the Greater Manchester Mayor Election?69% couldn't name a single candidate; and the other 31% could name only one candidate, which was always Andy Burnham.

Who will you be voting for?Of those who answered, 91% said Andy Burnham, with 9% saying Liberal Democrats. No other political party was mentioned.

Comments from those who took part in the survey were largely sceptical...even amongst Andy Burnham voters...

"He's a bit arrogant" said one person, while another insisted "He's the only one who stands out". Someone else thought they would be voting for Jeremy Corbyn in the GM Mayor Election...

Of those who wouldn't be voting, comments ranged from "They're all on too much money", to "I don't even know what this election is", to "I'm sick of them all"...

...Another person was annoyed that there was a GM Mayor Election in the first place... "Why wasn't there a referendum on this? Why weren't Salford people consulted?" he asked...

To read more about the candidates and their policies click on the links to their websites...

Perhaps the reason that Burnham was the candidate that more knew about, was that his speeches were regularly reported on and given prominence in the MEN.
I don't recall too much about other candidates.

Alice wroteat 12:01:04 on 21 April 2017

It never said it was an in-depth piece of research. It was a random opinion poll. However, it probably does reflects the truth. People were not involved in the decision to have a Mayor for Greater Manchester so we shouldn't expect them to be involved now. Sadly there is too much deceit and spin around pollitics so that many people get confused and are easily manipulated. What is needed is more truth, more clear information and more relevant discussion. Also let's listen to the policies of candidates and stop being influenced by their appearance, their dress, their hairdo, their legs even. We should vote on policies. That applies to the coming General Election. Remember a leader is only as good as the policies they follow.
Another thought: good work Anya and Mikey...teenagers having a go at political research.

The Fat End of The Wedge wroteat 05:44:24 on 21 April 2017

Can't trust Anstee, he's one of those that wants to put Salford in Manchester - taken from his website, his contact address reads:
Manchester Conservatives,
14b Wynford Square,
West Ashton Street,
Manchester M50 2SN
Checking with the Royal Mail (like I needed to...) we find that M50 2SN is actually:
Conservatives North
Unit 14-
14B Montford Enterprise Centre
Wynford Square
SALFORD
M50 2SN
Capitals as per Royal Mail.
Maybe the Star can check his local geographical knowledge with him?

Salford Star wroteat 05:44:18 on 21 April 2017

See Jimbo's comment below...We wrote that it wasn't very scientific and also how many people were asked - considering that you say it wasn't very 'in-depth' you don't seem to have read it!

Jimbo wroteat 05:41:59 on 21 April 2017

How many people did you actually ask? Doesn't sound very scientific or in-depth. You haven't told us anything new...people are fed up with politics!!